The invention relates to a device for the changing of drill heads or similar on workpiece transfer lines, whereby machine tools are arranged one after the other at the sides of the line in the direction of transfer.
The machine tools are situated on both sides of the path of transfer lines, for example boring machines, which are, as a rule, provided with feeding mechanisms, and permit horizontal feed at right angles to the direction of transfer. The boring machines have boring heads, which are arranged according to the appropriate boring pattern. If the type of workpiece changes, the boring heads must, of course, be changed.
Exchanging the boring heads is also neccessary if the tools have to be re-ground or replaced.
If change occurs only occasionally, it is possible to effect the changing of the boring heads by conventional means. In so doing, the boring heads are disassembled by hand and the new boring heads assembled. If, however, the type of workpiece is subject to frequent exchange, or if the series to be produced is relatively small, it is necessary to create an arrangement which accelerates the interchanging of boring heads. During the interchanging of the boring heads, there is an interruption in production, thus bringing the entire transfer line to a virtual standstill, which is to be avoided or confined to limited periods.
It is the practice to provide boring head carriers for the changing of boring heads, which carriers are pivotal about vertical axes, so that a plurality of boring heads can be arranged on the boring head carrier, which are further indexed around a turret arrangement. Machines of such construction are very expensive as a separate drive must be provided for each boring head. The space requirement for the machine is relatively large, particularly in the direction of the transfer line. The standby boring heads are not just aligned in direction of the work-pieces, but also at an angle to them. The movement of the turret requires a lot of space, which must be allowed for by providing an adequate distance from the next machine tool. As a result, the space requirement increases for the entire system. With this, there is the particular disadvantage that the processing speed is reduced, since the transportation times add to the machining times.
Problems of the afore-described nature do not just arise in connection with the interchanging of boring heads. The same problems arise also for other processing machines or even for equipments which check or monitor the work-piece by means of a gauge or template.